Multi-instruction switches are widely used in various types of information appliance (IA) products such as mobile phones, PDAs, computer keyboards and the like. The multi-instruction switch can provide multiple stages connection and generate multiple sets of circuit signals. Hence one switch can execute multiple actions to reduce the size of IA products. It is more convenient in use.
R.O.C. patent No. M248006 entitled “Thin switch” includes a seat which has a hollow housing compartment with an opening directing upwards. The housing compartment has an electrode portion and an elastic element located above the electrode portion. The elastic element includes a trigger assembly which contains an upper button and a lower button. A cap is provided and mounted onto the seat to seal housing compartment. The cap has an opening to allow the upper button to extend outside. Its main features include: the upper button has a bracing portion confined in the housing compartment and a coupling trough. The lower button has a pressure receiving portion anchored in the coupling trough without extending outside an anchor area of the coupling trough and a depressing portion located between the pressure receiving portion and an elastic element. Signals are generated by pressing the depressing portion on the elastic element. The elastic element is deformed to contact the electrode portion to form an electric connection.
The present circuit layout in the switch mostly adopts an injection process to embed pins in a switch body. Due to the function of the IA products grows constantly, a single switch has to generate signals of multiple functions. For instance, the multi-directional trigger switch disclosed in R.O.C. patent No. 570281 generates and outputs a plurality of different signals from one switch body. The circuit layout to embed multiple pins via the injection process at the same time is difficult. R.O.C. patent No. 570279 discloses a rotary switch which adopts a design to separately connect the second pin that is most difficult to be included in the circuit layout. But the second pin has to be bent to form a pressed coupling section located in the switch body and a pin section located outside the switch body. As the total size of the switch is small, and the pins are even smaller, anchoring the second pin is difficult during fabrication. An incidental impact to the second pin could occur during fabrication and cause excessive bending of the second pin. As a result, the pressed coupling section could be warped and a mistaken signal could be generated from the second pin.